Justice CB Barowalia appointed Himachal Pradesh Lokayukta.

• The Governor has approved the appointment of a sitting judge of the High Court, Justice Chander Bhusan Barowalia, as Lokayukta of Himachal Pradesh.
• The post of Lokayukta had been lying vacant for the last about eight years after the term of Justice LS Panta, a retired Supreme Court Judge, got over during the previous Congress regime.
• As per the notification issued by the state government, Justice Barowalia will take oath of office after his resignation is accepted.
• Justice Barowalia was due to retire from the post of Judge on March 15, 2023.
• In December 2021, the HP Assembly passed an amendment to the HP Lokayukta Act, 2014, making a provision to appoint a High Court Judge as the Lokayukta. Prior to that, under the provision of the Act, only a retired Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of High Courts were eligible for the office of Lokayukta.

About Chander Bhusan Barowalia:

• Justice Barowalia was born on March 15, 1961. He obtained an LLB degree from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.
• He practised as an advocate from November 1, 1984, in the High Court and other courts in Shimla.
• Thereafter, he was appointed Additional District and Sessions Judge on January 10, 2003. Thereafter, he was designated as District & Sessions Judge on October 26, 2005, and worked as District & Sessions Judge for Kinnaur, Una, Solan and Mandi. Before his elevation as Judge, he was posted as the Registrar General in the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
• Thereafter, he was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on April 12, 2016, and then took oath as Judge of the High Court on January 8, 2018.